At home Dialysis

[levi4110]

What does  the training for the use of at home Dialysis consist of?  I was told anyone can learn, one person states you can administer the dialysis yourself with someone nearby in case they are needed, another person states that you are not allowed to administer the dialysis yourself.  can someone help clear up this confusion. It seems you get a different story depending on who you talk with. Help!!!!!

[Joe]

Levi, there are two types of at home dialysis you can do. At home hemo dialysis supposedly requires someone to be with you while you dialyze, but there are folks here that do it alone. And Peritoneal Dialysis, which is what I do, that doesn't necessarily require someone be with you while you dilayze. You don't say which modality you are doing. The answer to that question will drive the answer you seek.

[mcclane]

i hope this helps.

I've done both, PD and now home hemo.

With PD, you can do it yourself. 

With home hemo, my hospital trained its patients to be self sufficient, and you can do that yourself too (from the needling, setting up of the machine, and cleaning up).  I only require assistance from my wife when I leak blood from the needling - I ask her to grab a kleenex to wipe the blood  , and this occurs if I puncture the vein but I pull the needle out immediately afterwards (trying to find the hole in the vein), or when I pull out the needle and I don't put the gauze over the site fast enough.

Other than that, I rarely require assistance on dialysis.

[jeannea]

I do peritoneal dialysis on the cycler at night. I live alone and don't have to have anyone help me. If you're interested in at home dialysis and you live alone, PD is the way to go.